Five Minutes
by Gwenhwyfar1984
Summary: Duke accompanies Audrey to a wedding, and Audrey asks for a favor.


Title: Five Minutes

Rating: PG

Pairing: Audrey/Duke

Season: 3, between Halloween and Magic Hour Part 1

Warnings: Language, very mild innuendo

Disclaimer: Haven is the property of Entertainment One, Big Motion Pictures Productions, Piller Segan Shepherd, Shaw Media, Universal Networks International and possibly other companies. I am in no way connected to them. In other words, I Do Not Own.

Prompt: LJ Community 10ILoveYou, Time table #2-Minutes

Huge thanks to Autumn Rayne for betaing this!

* * *

Audrey was asking for her fourth dirty martini when Duke approached her. She had hoped to catch his attention this evening, but it was busy so all she got was a small wave. Waiting for a quiet moment, she had ordered a drink.

"Audrey." Duke asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the side of the bar.

Audrey grinned. "Duke! Just the man I was hoping to talk to." Ok, maybe she should have stopped at two drinks.

"Oh boy. What do you want?"

"Who says I want anything?"

"You've been here an hour, and you're actually paying for these drinks." He told her.

"I've paid before." In the beginning she did, but in the last month she had been given her drinks for free. Nobody had said anything until now, and she hadn't questioned it.

"Mmm. Audrey, what do you want?" he asked, serious.

Audrey sighed and played with her empty glass. A few drops fell onto the bar and Nora took it from her with a frown. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"Why?"

"I kind of forgot that I was invited somewhere and I'm supposed to bring someone and I was wondering if you would come with me but if you won't I understand." Apparently she was a little more buzzed than she had thought and lost her ability to take a breath when talking. She laughed.

Duke blinked and then grinned. "Why Audrey, I do believe you're drunk."

Audrey held up a finger. "I'm happy. Seriously, Duke, I have to go to a wedding tomorrow and I need a Plus One."

"What about Nathan? You two are usually joined at the hip. He'd be glad to go."

"Nathan is with Jordan and I'm pretty sure they're joined at more than the hip so I don't think he'd go." Audrey gratefully took the fourth drink Nora handed her and took a sip.

Nora choked on a laugh and Duke frowned. "You're cut off." He slid the glass back to Nora.

Audrey grabbed the olive and waved it at him. "You didn't answer my question."

Duke sighed. "A wedding. All right, I'll go with you. If you're in any condition to go, that is."

"I'm not drunk." She claimed, biting the olive off the toothpick. Wobbling slightly, she slid off the stool. "I'm just tired."

"Uh huh. Let's get you upstairs, Ex-Agent Officer Parker, before you have to arrest yourself for public drunkenness," Duke suggested, taking her arm.

"Can I actually arrest myself?" she asked seriously. Considering the fact that she had been several other people, it might actually be possible.

o.O.o

"So, who is getting married?" Duke asked as he drove them to the location where the ceremony was taking place. "And why are you invited?"

"A few months ago I helped a Troubled woman. Elizabeth Bradley. She's able to superheat any metal to its melting point." It had been so out of control that she had been living in a wooden shed in her parent's backyard. "After I helped her to control it, I put her in touch with Edward Yang."

"The artist who works with metal."

"Uh huh. It was love at first sight." She sighed. "I got the invitation and there was a note inside. Apparently they really want me there because if it wasn't for me, they would not be getting married."

"You're not happy about being invited to witness them enter into wedded bliss?"

She shrugged. "Weddings aren't my thing. At least, they weren't her thing." Her being the Audrey Parker whose memories she had. "I don't really know if they're my thing."

"Well, you're about to find out," Duke told her. Judging by his tone, she wasn't sure if she should be excited or worried.

o.O.o

The ceremony itself was beautiful. It was short, simple, and the love the couple felt was evident. Audrey felt a little bit of pride at having brought the couple together.

The reception was where she was having problems. Audrey didn't mind socializing in small groups with her friends, or even having a drink or two at the Gull. Being in a room with over fifty people that she didn't know, however, was a little out of her comfort zone. Not to mention Duke was getting more than a few dirty looks from people Audrey knew were Troubled. That just pissed her off since he was obviously there as her Plus One and not on Trouble related business.

"So why—" Audrey was cut off by someone calling her name. Suddenly, she was enveloped in a sea of white fabric.

"You made it. I'm so happy!" Elizabeth said, releasing Audrey.

"Of course I did. I wouldn't miss it for anything. Congratulations," Audrey said.

"I don't know how to thank you. You…you saved my life." Audrey noticed that her wedding ring was plastic.

"No thanks are needed. Just live a long, happy life."

Elizabeth nodded and saw someone gesturing to her. "I will. I hope you will too."

Elizabeth's words felt like a punch. Audrey forced a smile as the bride left, and then finished her last bite of cake. "What's the proper etiquette for leaving one of these things?"

Duke was studying her. "Well, you congratulated the bride, we ate, your gift is on the table, and you socialized. There is only one thing left to do." He nodded towards the dance floor.

Audrey shook her head. "I'm not in the mood."

Duke stood. "Come on. Five minutes and we can head for your car."

Reluctantly, she set down her fork and accompanied him to the dance floor.

o.O.o

The song was a slow, popular one from the sixties. Audrey was grateful that it didn't require complex dance moves. It was a little strange being that close to Duke, but after a few moments it faded and she felt surprisingly comfortable.

"What happened? You weren't exactly the life of the party before, but—" he asked.

"I'm fine," she interrupted. "I just want to go." He was silent, but the hand that held hers tightened slightly. After a moment she sighed. "Anybody ever tell you that you're too observant?" At least when it came to her he was. He always seemed to know when something was bothering her before anybody else.

"What?" he asked quietly.

She took a deep breath. "I've accepted my fate, and I've done a pretty good job of not feeling sorry for myself. But what she said? It kinda took me by surprise. I realized that I'll never get this. I'll never be this happy. I have twenty-eight days left, and I get nothing, really, except…"

"All things considered, you are allowed to feel a little sorry for yourself. You don't have to be The Selfless Audrey Parker every second of every day."

"You make me sound like a superhero."

"You know, you'd look amazing in spandex."

She snorted but couldn't help smiling. "Uh huh."

"…some kind of hat or even better, a mask."

"Duke," she laughed and sobered. "I haven't told anybody else yet but I'm going to Colorado."

"You're actually taking a vacation?" His tone was disturbingly approving.

"James Cogan's mother lives there. I'm going to see if I can finally get some answers."

"Alone?"

She nodded. If she couldn't ask Nathan to a wedding, she certainly couldn't ask him to go to Colorado with her. Besides, there was a serial killer on the loose.

"You want some company?" he asked carefully.

"Haven't I tortured you enough by bringing you here?"

"It's not so bad," he said quietly, the hand on her waist pulled her a little closer. "Anyway, you don't know what you'll find out there. You should have someone with you."

"I can handle things myself," she said, defensive. Growing up as an orphan she had learned how to do everything by herself. Her training at Quantico had taught her how to work on a team, but when it came to personal matters she could only depend on herself.

Ok, that wasn't fair. Duke and Nathan and even Claire had helped her tremendously to find out about her past and who she really was. She appreciated it. Yet, when she found out that she would be disappearing in a little over a month, that instinct to withdraw into self-sufficiency had surfaced. After all, why depend on others if she was going to disappear and it will all have been for nothing. It was just a waste of their time, right?

"I'm just saying you don't have to. All you have to do is ask."

She didn't reply. He was right though. She didn't know what she would find out in Colorado. She knew that Lucy Ripley had loved James, but what else? Had their relationship been happy? Why had they left Colorado to come here? Had he known the truth about her and Lucy's past when he married Lucy?

Maybe that was why they had come here. Lucy found out the truth and came to Haven and he had followed. If so, she—Lucy—was in a way responsible for James's death.

The thought caused an unexpected ache and she found herself shifting a little closer to Duke.

"Would you come with me to Colorado?" she asked quietly.

"Of course."


End file.
